Can the Arizona Cardinals stay a road perfect straight up and against the spread when they visit Heinz Field to face the 3-point underdog Pittsburgh Steelers?

For those of you who need a history lesson, these two teams battled for Super Bowl 43 in 2009 with Pittsburgh winning. Flash-forward to 2012, current Cardinals head-coach Bruce Arians was removed as the offensive coordinator of the Steelers, awkwardly. The Pittsburgh brain-trust called it a retirement. Arians didn’t see it that way.

Arians joined Chuck Pagano in Indy shortly after. Pagano was then diagnosed with cancer just three weeks into the 2012 season. Arians takes over as the interim head coach and leads the Colts to an 11-5 season and a wildcard spot. A year later, the Cardinals come knocking. Now three years later, he’s going back into Pittsburgh this weekend for the first time since 2011. He will face a team that all but labelled him a has-been.

“It’s just another game on the schedule,” Arians said, not giving the Steelers any bullitin board material. “I’ve been in the visiting side of that locker room (at Heinz Field) about, gosh, eight times,” he continued. “I went back the year after (2012) I left for a preseason game.”

If You Are Betting On The Arizona Cardinals Odds At -3 To Beat The Steelers

The Arizona Cardinals are 4-1 straight up and against the spread so far this season. They average 38.0 points per game (1st), 258.2 passing yards (10th), 134.8 rushing yards (3rd) per game. Last week they embarrassed the lowly Detroit Lions by a 42-17 score.

QB Carson Palmer is back and looking ten years younger after missing most of last season with injury. He is the go-juice that makes the Cardinals win. So far this season he has thrown for 1316 yards, 13 TDs & 3 INTs while completing 64.9% of his passes.

Sharing in the fountain of youth in Arizona is long time WR Larry Fitzgerald who has caught 35 balls for 490 yards and 6 TDs. Palmer’s other top target this season has been WR John Brown who has 25 rec, 301 yards and 2 TDs.

Andre Ellington (15 att, 132 yards, 2 TDs) opened the season as the top rusher with rookie David Johnson (18th, 91 yards, 3 TDs) backing him up. Ellington, who has never been a durable back, suffered a sprained PCL in Week 1 and subsequently missed three games. Enter the almost 30 year-old, former 2000 yard rusher Chris CJ2K Johnson who has staked a strong claim to the starting job with 79 carries for 405 yards & 2 TDs. This three-headed rushing monster is great for the Cardinals and horrible for your fantasy squad.

Arizona’s defense gives up 18.0 points (5th), 235.0 passing yards (13th) and 97.4 rushing yards (11th) per game. They have forced 13 turnovers (11 interceptions, two fumbles) and have returned three of those turnovers for scores. Deone Bucannon leads the Cardinals with 35 tackles, Alex Okafor has two sacks and Rashad Johnson has three interceptions.

If You Are Betting On The Pittsburgh Steelers Odds At +3 To Beat The Cardinals

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-2 straight up and 3-0-2 against the spread so far this season. They are averaging 24.0 points (11th), 237.2 passing yards (19th) and 120.4 rushing yards (13th) per game. The Steelers are coming off of a short week after a last second win over the San Diego Chargers on MNF by a score of 24-20.

QB Michael Vick (365 yards, 2 TDs & 1 INTs, 63.8% completion rate) will start his third straight game after signing during the off-season. Rumors out of Pittsburgh are that Ben Roethlisberger (912 yards, 4 TDs & 2 INTs) participated in 7-on-7 drills Wednesday after chatter was that he could miss up to 7-8 weeks due to a knee injury.

Last years top pass-catcher, WR Antonio (37 rec, 523 yards, 2 TDs) leads the team in yards and receptions but misses Big Ben. He hasn’t caught more than five balls or more than 45 yards per game since Vick took over under center. WR Markus Wheaton (9 rec, 228 yards, 1 TD) and Darrius Heyward-Bey (17 rec, 209 yards, 2 TDs) have filled in as other sometimes reliable targets. Good news for the receiving corps is the return of Martavis Bryant who was suspended for four-games.

The Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game, 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a favorite, 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games following a SU win, e 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games following an ATS win, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in October and 21-8 ATS in their last 29 games overall.

The Steelers are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 home games, 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games as a home underdog, 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a SU win, 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win, 9-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record, 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games in October, and 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.